In the heart of Italy, Bologna is focusing on inclusive urban planning, specifically in public services and infrastructure. The city wants to support the diverse needs of everyone. It wants to show how gender considerations are essential to sustainable environments.
Urban planning and development are usually dominated by a one-size-fits-all approach, often overlooking the needs of women. Bologna wants to shift from this traditional style.
With the assistance of the Bank, the city is taking several steps to ensure that public services and infrastructure address the needs of women and other underrepresented groups, such as the elderly, those of different abilities and the LGBTQI+ community.
“We analysed a lot of data, mobility patterns, safety concerns, and access to essential services through a gender lens,” says Patricia Fernández, a senior advisor at the European Investment Bank. “Bologna was ready to reduce the disparities, develop tools to set investment priorities and make the city more accessible for everyone.”
Areas where gender-sensitive approaches are being applied include lighting in public places, locations of pedestrian crossings, the design of bicycle networks, and the availability of childcare facilities near major employment areas.
The European Investment Bank has supported Bologna through various investments for almost 30 years. In 2021, the Bank approved a €50 million loan to help Bologna implement a climate action and urban regeneration plan. Under this plan, the city will modernise public buildings to make them more resilient to climate change and earthquakes. This work will mainly help schools, kindergartens and administrative buildings and social housing. Bologna is also promoting sustainable mobility and renewing parks and other public open spaces.
“Sustainability is not an isolated climate concern, but is linked to social and economic aspects,” says Mariagrazia Bonzagni, project manager and director of planning and statistics for Bologna. “We first needed to map and understand where the main gender gaps were in our city. The advisory support of the European Investment Bank was crucial to develop the IT and technical tools to accomplish this work.”
A gender map of 180 pages and almost 80 maps was created to allow the city to identify shortcomings, critical issues and opportunities, Bonzagni says. Funded by the European Investment Advisory Hub, the technical assistance helped to analyse the gender gaps and needs, building on the experience from other European cities as well as the analysis of existing data. The advisory support helped to develop design guidelines for gender-inclusive projects in specific sectors (schools, bicycle network and open spaces), proposed a new methodology and a “gender atlas” to design more inclusive urban infrastructure.
The gender atlas was prepared to help the city understand where it has problems with gender inclusivity.
The gender map will be used to prioritise urban projects and maximise their impact. This work includes projects supported by the European Investment Bank.
“We were eager to start using the manual and the atlas,” Bonzagni says.
Working with Cleto Carlini, the director of mobility and public works, the city identified two pilot projects: a school in the Borgo Panigale-Reno neighbourhood and the “Via della Conoscenza,” a major cycle pedestrian path that connects research facilities, public spaces and historical sites.
There is also an economic advantage to gender-inclusive urban planning. When cities serve a diverse population, this helps economic growth because more women participate in the workforce through improved access to public services, including transportation. “This growth will benefit everyone, and women in particular, because they will be able to lead independent lives,” says Clancy, the deputy mayor.
Bologna’s work to redefine urban planning with a gender approach can be a blueprint for other cities.
“By weaving this inclusive touch into the urban fabric, we create better cities and societies,” Clancy says.
